Auburn is expected to start pitcher Dillon Ortman as it faces the possibility of missing the SEC tournament with a loss Saturday in the regular-season finale against LSU at Plainsman Park.

The start would be Ortman's third in the last seven days and second in the series. He started Thursday in the opener against LSU, allowing six runs on seven hits through only two innings, and has thrown a total of 139 pitches over the last week.

"Dillon Ortman came to me and he wants the ball, he wants to start," Auburn coach Sunny Golloway said following Friday's 11-3 loss to LSU. "I want to be really cautiously optimistic about that because we're not going to do anything to jeopardize his opportunity to pitch at the next level."

The move is certainly a rare one on the college baseball level. Ortman pitched seven innings in an 8-1 victory at Kentucky on May 10, when he allowed one run on seven hits.

Golloway called Ortman's start Thursday against LSU an "extended bullpen" type of appearance (46 pitches). Either way, Ortman will take the mound on less than 48 hours of rest.

"We're going to sleep on it," Golloway said. "Right now Dillon wants the ball. I've got to make a really smart decision on his behalf and not put him in jeopardy. If we do, do that, my eyes are going to be glued on his body from the first pitch on to make sure nothing looks different."

Auburn (28-27, 10-19 SEC) needs a victory against LSU (39-14-1, 16-11-1) coupled with a loss from either Georgia or Tennessee to reach Hoover. Georgia sits a half game above Auburn in the standings following a 10-0 loss to Kentucky, and Tennessee remains a full game above Auburn following a 4-2 loss to Florida, which won the SEC regular season title Saturday. Auburn owns the tie-breaker against Tennessee.

LSU will counter Saturday with left-hander Kyle Bouman (3-2, 2.51), who has not started a game since April 22.

If Ortman starts, the appearance will be short. Auburn will also try to work Reid Carter (0-0, 5.65), Ryan Tella (0-1, 4.50), Trey Cochran-Gill (0-2, 3.58) and closer Terrance Dedrick (2-3, 5.04) out of the bullpen as well.

Tella, a center fielder, pitched 3 2/3 innings at Kentucky on Sunday.

"We should be able to piece something together to be able to compete," Golloway said.

Auburn entered the weekend without ace Keegan Thompson, who fractured a bone in his right foot at Kentucky last week.

Golloway said he does not plan to push the Tigers or lecture them heading into the pivotal season finale on Auburn's senior day.

"At this point we're just not going to get on to them," Golloway said. "We're just going to keep them loose, let them come out and play and if it's meant to be, we'll go (to the SEC tournament), and if it's not then we'll regroup for next year."